Misinterpretation
by Muffytaj
Summary: There are few things cuter than Stalker!Hinata and romance. HinataNaruto.


**Misinterpretation**

If Hinata ever stopped to think about Naruto romantically (which she didn't, she insisted, blushing furiously. Well, she liked Naruto, yes, but not _like_ liked him, she just admired him! Unless… had he been saying anything about her? _But if she did_) then it would have made perfect sense to her that all the girls would love him. After all, he was the perfect boyfriend! Funny, dedicated, and with a spirit that just wouldn't die …

Here Hinata would sigh, and then the mental image of Naruto's body would pop into her mind and it would be blushes all around.

If she thought about such things. Which, as has been established, she doesn't.

It would also make perfect sense that Naruto would end up with Sakura. They were on the same team, and Sakura was so outgoing and positive and although it had seemed like she liked Sasuke for a while there, Hinata couldn't understand any girl wanting someone like Sasuke when Naruto was right there. Plus, Naruto was so sensitive to when a girl was feeling distress (although he couldn't seem to figure out why) and those warm hands of his just seemed made for comforting hugs, and sliding under tops and – oops, there were the mad blushes again.

So Hinata, never one to try and stop people from achieving happiness at her own expense, may or may not have taken a little bit of interest in Naruto and Sakura's relationship. Or their not-quite-relationship. Well really their could-be-a-relationship-if-only-they-could-be-romantic. Naruto, it seemed, was not very good at setting the mood. In fact, any time Hinata saw them approaching something like a romantic moment, Naruto would usually screw it up and then there would just be beatings.

Which could be romantic, Hinata thought, but maybe not until later on in their relationship.

And then she would have to press her hands to her cheeks and run off and have a cold shower to cool her embarrassment.

So Hinata, determined to help Naruto obtain his goals, came to the conclusion that Sakura needed a little nudge in the right direction. After all, Sakura might not know what Naruto's crude remarks meant. And since Sakura couldn't see Naruto watching her when she trained, it would make sense for her not to understand that Naruto liked her.

Or maybe Sakura was shy, like Hinata! Well, she couldn't be too shy, not with that outfit she was wearing, but that just showed she was comfortable with her body, and confident, and Hinata only wished that she could wear such a small top and skirt and bounce around the boys in her team like that, maybe then they would notice that she was actually a girl instead of pushing her so hard when it was obvious she couldn't quite keep up with them and they would stop making such remarks about the other kunoichi when she was around (well really Kiba made the remarks, but Shino didn't stop him!) and wouldn't it be funny to see the expressions on their faces if she came stomping up to them in such boots –

And here was where Hinata would imagine herself in Sakura's outfit and all the boys looking at her and she would feel rather faint from nervousness and have to lie down for a bit.

But once she was feeling better and the blood stopped rushing to her face she decided she was going to have a little talk with Sakura, and tell her about Naruto's true feelings. Very discreetly, of course. She wouldn't want to embarrass Naruto, or steal his thunder.

So the next day she followed Sakura to her daily training (she had the schedule down pat, all the times she had followed Naruto to the same spot and watched him train) and stopped her.

"S-Sakura-san," She said, and all her carefully planned speeches flew out the window. "I need to talk to you."

"What is it, Hinata-chan?" Sakura, the soul of politeness, lowered the shruiken she had been about to throw at Hinata's sudden appearance. A life-time of hiding from people had made Hinata a master at concealment. "Are you having back-problems again?"

"N-no, it's not that…" A deep breath, preparing for the plunge. "It's a more serious pain than that."

"What?" Sakura snapped into medic-nin mode, "What's wrong, where did it happen? Why are we standing around talking, show me the affected area, quickly!"

"No, no, not that kind of hurt!" Hinata corrected her hurriedly. "It's a hurt of… of a different kind. A hurt of the heart." She pressed her hands to her chest, and didn't notice the slight expression of horror that crossed Sakura's face.

"I-I've been, well, that is, you, I think, I don't know if you've noticed, but…love." Hinata gulped out. "For years, I think. Whilst training. You. What I mean is-"

"Hinata-chan," Sakura said softly, taking Hinata's hands in her own. "Stop. I think I know what you're trying to say."

"Y-you do? You mean, you've noticed? I didn't know whether you could see underneath –"

"I see underneath the underneath." Sakura said, and Hinata noticed how warm her hands were, and how gentle her expression. "I must admit, it comes as a bit of surprised, but …" she looked away, biting her lip. "I've thought about it, once or twice, especially in the past year or so." She said, looking down at Hinata's beautiful face, and ample chest, "I mean, well, I think everyone has, to be honest. Even Ino."

Hinata nodded unsteadily – as she'd suspected, all the girls had been after Naruto. Well, it was almost impossible for it to be otherwise. Ever since the first chuunin exam, everyone had seen Naruto's determination.

"And I am deeply flattered that you would come here and tell me this, but… I don't think it would work out." Sakura pressed Hinata's hands, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. But I must refuse."

"What? B-but!" How could Sakura refuse Naruto like that? Didn't she see that he loved her? Why else would he spend so much time with her, and help her so much? And they were so alike! And had been through so much together! Their personalities were perfect for each other, and they had never betrayed one another, or hurt one another, or anything like that!

They were a match made in heaven! But still Sakura had refused.

"You see, there is someone else… for both of us. Although you might not realise it yet, there is someone who… who I really think you should talk to." Hinata was getting a little confused, but Sakura pressed on. "You see, Naruto…"

The obligatory blush at the mention of Naruto's name skated across Hinata's cheeks. A small smile twisted Sakura's lips.

"See, you like Naruto, don't you?"

"Y-yes, I mean, no, not like that! I mean, maybe, a little… he's just so wonderful!" Hinata sighed.

"You like him." Sakura said. "You shouldn't try to lie to yourself like that. If you like someone, go and tell them! That's the only way you're going to get through to an idiot like Naruto. That guy wouldn't know love if it bit him in the butt." She gave Hinata's hands one last squeeze, then let go of them. "Don't try and force yourself to do something like this." She said, indicating the two of them. "I know you don't mean it. You know you don't mean it. It would only be pretend. Be true to yourself, Hinata-chan, and go after what you _really_ want." And with one last regretful glance at Hinata's lips, and zipped-up top, she left.

"Aw man," came a voice from the trees, "I thought I was going to see some real lesbian action."

"N-Naruto-kun!" Hinata squeaked, turning bright red. "W-what do you mean?"

"Ah, never mind," Naruto said, jumping to the ground right in front of Hinata, smiling down at her in that way that made her stomach try to turn itself inside out. "Now, what did you want to talk to me about?"

And if Hinata had ever thought about Naruto romantically (Well, okay, maybe she did once or twice, you know, sometimes) she would have realised that this was the perfect place for her to smile through her shaking and furious blushing, reach out and manage to take Naruto's hand without fainting, and stutter out:

"Us."


End file.
